° The Flying Dutch are appearing in the NCAA Division III volleyball championships for the seventh time. The previous appearances were 1987, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2008. Hope is 6-6 in NCAA matches and is seeking to advance to the championship round for the first time.

° This is the first time that Hope has been chosen to host the Great Lakes Regional.

º The Flying Dutch are ranked 6th in the latest AVCA Division III national poll. Hope has been ranked as high as fifth.

° Hope's won the regular season championship of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) with a 16-0 record. The Flying Dutch were defeated by rival Calvin in the championship match of the conference tournament giving the Knights the MIAA's automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Hope received a Pool C at-large bid. The Flying Dutch rebounded to defeat their rival in the semi-finals of the Great Lakes Regional tournament.

° This is the third season that a Hope volleyball team (32-3) has won 30-or-more matches. The other years were 1987 (32-3) and 1998 (33-8).

° Coach Becky Schmidt has guided the Flying Dutch for six seasons compiling a 153-61 record. She previously coached at Redlands, Calif. and has a career collegiate record of 190-93. A 1999 Hope graduate and outstanding volleyball player, she was named a Division III All-American middle blocker as a senior. She was a member of the 1997 and 1998 teams that competed in the NCAA championships.

° Five players on Hope's MIAA champion volleyball team were presented all-conference honors highlighted by two individual awards. Senior setter Andrea Helminiak of Maumee, Ohio (Anthony Wayne HS) was voted the league's most valuable player while senior libero Kristen Johnson of Naperville, Ill. (Wheaton Academy) was named the defensive player of the year. Helminiak was joined on the All-MIAA first team by teammates Jacie Fiedler, a sophomore from Richmond, Ill. (Richard Burton HS), and Kara VandeGuchte, a junior from Hamilton, Mich. (Hamilton HS). Helminiak and VandeGuchte were honored for the second year. Johnson was joined on the All-MIAA second team by teammate Cassidy Bulthuis, a junior from Nunica, Mich. (Spring Lake HS).

° Three Hope players were named to the NCAA Division III All-Region team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Hope honorees are junior outside hitter Jacie Fielder of Richmond, Ill. (Richmond Burton HS), senior setter Andrea Helminiak of Maumee, Ohio (Anthony Wayne HS), and junior middle blocker Kara VandeGuchte of Hamilton, Mich. (Hamilton HS). VandeGuchte is receiving all-region honors for the second consecutive year. It marked the first time in the 23-year history of the all-region program that three Hope players have been honored in the same year.